“The most exciting breakthroughs of the twenty-first century will not occur because of technology, but because of an expanding concept of what it means to be human.”
by John Naisbitt
About
Bimvest is an investment holding company located near Brussels. Being family-owned we can take decisions fast and have no upfront constraints on the timing of our investments and exits. This means we are flexible when it comes to the optimal financing strategy. It also allows us to take a long-term view and stay aligned with the company’s funding rythm and growth path.
We also love to make room for startups. Our offices have earned the nickname “The Nest” as we seek to create a safe haven for those who think big based on facts and act upon them.
Criteria
Long term Investments
Investment size ideally between € 1 M and € 10 M (solely Bimvest) and € 5 M and € 20 M (Co-investments)
We look to acquire majority stakes in the companies
Hands-on shareholder with a long term investment horizon
1. We know the business.
Tender Info Service / Teleco
This is the sector where the founding members of Bimvest earned their stripes and gained a lot of expertise.
2. Other people know the business.
When an opportunity presents itself and meets (most) of our fundamentals, and the operational team has a deep knowledge of the business, you have our attention!
3. Recurring revenues.
Our team has succesfully grown, managed and sold businesses with recurring revenues. A significant part of our added value lies in tuning and managing these revenue streams to support the strategic goals of the company.
4. Organizational challenges.
When current operational management is confronted with challenges relating to growth or distress, resulting in cash issues, Bimvest can rely on years of experience and a vast network to provide the necessary solutions and support.
Investments
Team
Bruno De Mulder
Managing Partner
Bruno De Mulder is a commercial engineer who graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven. Whilst working with the former Belgian National Police Force (Gendarmerie) he saw an opportunity in the inefficiencies concerning the tender business and founded EBP in 1997. He managed, grew and successfully sold the company to a French group in the spring of 2015. Soon after the sale, he founded and currently manages Bimvest to allocate the proceeds of the EBP sale.
Herman De Boeck
Senior Partner
Herman De Boeck is a senior professional with specific expertise in creating and guiding teams of enthusiastic “engaged” people in medium to large enterprises: “With more than 20 years of experience with most aspects of the overall management function, he focuses on the identification and implementation of structural improvements. Implementing solutions that work and obtaining results with a motivated team is what drives him most. His mindset is always geared towards doing the right thing on the long run, in a financially acceptable way.
Ben Praet
Partner
Ben is a civil engineer who graduated from the KU Leuven, adding a master in management afterwards. Whilst studying, he started a company to help B2C and B2b customers to save on their energy costs. It’s there that he created his first IT product, while also managing HR and finances. Afterwards, he took on the challenge to lead the software development project for Tender Experts, creating an innovative SaaS product from A to Z. Experience in managing projects combined with his programming skills is what made this project a success.
Bas De Cat
Partner
After completing his studies at the Free University of Brussels (Master of Laws), Bas combined several years of professional experience as a legal counsel with the operational leadership of his own startup (Nanoskin). A few years after the sale of his shares, Bas joined Tender Experts in early 2022, where his specific focus was on further expanding the company both on a legal and operational/executive level. Innovation and strategic management drive him the most.
Arne Gutermann
Family Officer
Arne Gutermann is the family officer of the De Mulder family. He is a senior professional with extensive expertise in law and finance. After a 30-year career as a lawyer and partner in a large international corporate & business law firm based in Brussels, focusing on commercial contracts, M&A transactions and corporate law, he now runs since a number of years an independent investment funds management business under the name www.mountainfunds.be. As the family officer, he assists the family, and Bimvest as its holding company, in matters of estate planning, next generation knowledge transfer and hand-over, investment objectives & investment policy, asset allocation, relations with banks and wealth management professionals, general corporate & legal structuring and risk management.
